On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $300,000 United Nations Stakes. Scheduled to be run at a mile and three-eighths on the turf, the Grade 1 event has drawn a field of ten colts and geldings.
Wake Forest (GER), one of three horses in the race for trainer Chad Brown, has been tabbed as the morning line favorite at odds of 5-2. A bay son of Ser Percy (GB), the six year old has won seven of his thirteen starts and has hit his best stride since shipping to North America. He is coming out of a victory in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and will be trying to earn his second win of the year. John Velazquez will be in the irons and they will break from post position three.
Second choice at morning line odds of 3-1 is World Approval for trainer Mark Casse. A four-year-old son of Northern Afleet, he is a half brother to multiple graded stakes winner Za Approval and has won five of his fourteen starts. He was last seen finishing third in the Manhattan Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and has been training steadily since then. Florent Geroux will be aboard from post position four.
Also in the field at morning line ods of 6-1 is Triple Threat (FR) for trainer Bill Mott. A six-year-old son of Monsun (GER), he is a five time winner and will be trying to earn his second graded stakes victory. His recent form has been spotty and he will be trying to rebound after a seventh-place finish in the Manhattan Stakes (G1) last out. Jose Lezcano will be aboard and they will breakfrom post position six.
The field is set for the $1 million Haskell, where Nyquist will be trying to re-stake his claim as the top three-year-old in the country.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, a key prep race for the Haskell Invitational (G1). The Grade 3 event will be contested at a mile and a sixteenth and has drawn a field of seven three-year-olds.
With five grade 1 races and a grade 2, the undercard for the June 11 Belmont stakes could be the best single day of racing on the calendar outside of the Breeders’ Cup.
The preparations are underway for the third jewel of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes (G1). Horses have begun to arrive at Belmont Park for the mile and a half contest which is scheduled to be held on Saturday, June 11.
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